Goals...and time.

Wow. That was a busy week of nothing done. Ever had one of those weeks where you look back, and see nothing accomplished? I mean, things were done, tasks completed more than the day-to-day chores, but it feels like nothing was done. Frustrating.

There was a seawall cleanup. I worked with our 'competitor' and helped with the event. Mostly I brought a few people and helped pick up trash. Alternatively, I got to talk to a couple people and show myself and mingle...and listen to people talk about how we should all just get along, even when they have said otherwise in my presence (not knowing who I was).

We weren't able to dive, which significantly reduced overall participation, particularly on my end since most of the company I keep is divers and photographers. Water was not our friend that day, unless you were a surfer!!

The surf was beautiful. I've never seen the surf so clean on a day where the wind was light, and there was no rain.

Got to go to the Museum of the Ryukyus (Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum), and they happened to have the Marie-Antoinette exhibition. There were paintings and money and pillboxes and clothing and...hair pieces... yeah..

Secret shots, shutter noisy...

The one thing that occurred to me was, we were looking at letters, art and dresses that was over 200 years old, and looked beautiful. I wish I could share, but some of the areas were no cameras allowed and my hip shooting was crappy, but I will practice...don't worry.

They're working on the last portion of the Sunabe Seawall modernization project. I'll have an entire photo essay on this one. I missed a good portion of the work, but the impact it's making on the diving area is significant. The primary site where 90% if not more of NEW divers enter is currently closed, so diver traffic is being diverted to area that normally don't see that much activity. I'm noticing more broken coral and less natural settling of bottom substrate.

Finally, I continue to explore and see new things. I have traveled all over the southeast US and haven't seen as much concentrated culture as there is here. The spectrum from new to old is extreme, only comparable to the early 1990's in Charleston SC where you would have an abandoned house across the street from a beautiful new Charleston Single House.  

No diving this week, but as usual, pick up that trash both on the surface, and down below!!

Pick it up, leave only bubbles!

Negligent posting, or just busy?

I missed last weeks post, so I'm trying to get a jump start by writing first, then adding photos so we'll see how this goes.

Firstly, HOLY COW!! I've shot over a thousand photos (yes, 1000+) in the past week. I think the camera is protesting as now it has dust on the mirror, but I'm also hard on things, so who knows for sure. Going the next day or so to get a cleaner for the mirror artifacts, which only show up on long exposure.

10sec exposure showing artifacts

Leather Base in Depot Island

During all the shooting this past week, had to pamper the camera so I bought a custom strap for it. There's a little shop in Mihama (American Village = tourist trap) where you can get all kinds of things made from leather (Leather Base). I was originally hoping they could make a protective case for my camera, but they don't have the tools. So, just the strap please. Turned out pretty nice and is very comfy. Besides, can't go wrong with handmade leather!!



There was a Cherry Blossom Festival in Nago (sakura no hana) , and a Sunflower Festival (himawari) near where I work (shot that for about three days!!)



I'm tired of flowers. Now I know why other photographers despise flowers. There's only so much you can do, and they don't really do anything. With this in mind, I took this photo (insert faded beauty). Maybe I'll start shooting flowers in 'repose'.


Of course I say this as the azalea festival gets ready to start...




Got back to shooting in the water. I've been in the water this whole time, but mainly teaching and I don't take a camera or anything as it is distracting to the students and Divemasters. Students can have cameras, but only on their last dive and only after any left over skills have been completed.

Slight increase in number of nudibranchs in the area. Robert THE Divemaster has a identification goal for the little sea slugs and with me looking for sponge, lets just say there's going to be plenty of slow, photographic dives.


Expanded my training abilities and added Search and Recovery Specialty Instructor and Underwater Photographer Instructor to my repertoire. Obviously I'll be adding more as the money comes in, but that's slow coming here. I'll keep working at teaching scuba and doing photography. Looking at doing stock photos to make a little side cash, and maybe revisit some online consulting I used to do.

Exploring time lapse photography over the next month or so, so there will be videos eventually. More planning and gear involved here, and the spending of money of course. I'm going to try and DIY most of it, but motors are complicated, so I'll get off the shelf for that.

Well, back to more photos!!

Graffiti or Street Art?

Okinawa is quite beautiful this time of year...or everyday for that matter. And there's one thing that stands out, the street art or graffiti. Whichever, regardless I'll be doing a series on these and have a master portfolio on http://flic.kr/ps/8J1JU as I build a library, so be sure to view the set once you find it up.

Graffiti - writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.    As per the online Oxford Dictionary. There seems to be a distinct line drawn between Street Art and Graffiti, with Street Art as everything else BUT graffiti, but once you see some of these, how are they not art?

There's obviously talent, composition, a statement being made.

I will shoot as much as I can, geotagging while I'm at it. There are a few obvious artists around the island that have made their mark.

So, the debate is over art? or not? Some are primitive while others are incredibly elaborate, and placement based on seclusion or high-traffic. The time and effort put into these is stunning for some of the ones I have coming up, so stay tuned!

Oh yeah, and if you see this:

Pterois sp. (Lionfish)

DON'T touch!!

Pick up your trash, and leave bubbles!!

Uneventful week, well, for me maybe...

Not to much happened last week. Usual playing with the weather, waiting to dive. Finished a solo student who left for Sydney Australia on vacation. Now he gets to dive the Great Barrier Reef!! Score +1 karma point for me!!

Took some surface photos on Tuesday around Oyama Port. A little shack where they serve some delicious bento...and have a plethora of cats. I'll be returning there for another shoot to document the street-art (grafitti). The local government seems to have gotten funds to paint over everything very recently, so I've been trying to capture it before it is 'corrected'.

The new camera is making me picky about my underwater camera. The last few weeks I've been having strobe/flash issues. Things are washed out, double exposed, underexposed....not exposed. It's frustrating considering how difficult it is in the first place to capture some of these images.



The 'business end'

Took a moment to catch the last of the Sunabe Seawall that I had failed to shoot after we first arrived here. Still, it's rather timely considering 'progress' is being made. There will be a full publication of the seawall eventually, I have all the old street-art before one section was completely renovated.

'New' seawall on the right

The most popular beginner entry point for scuba



Can't wait to see the final results, I'll be shooting this site during construction, so stay tuned!!

Remember:

Take out the trash, and leave only bubbles!!

Kin Red Diving

So I spent most of the morning today identifying marine animals from a photo shoot Robert L and I did on Sunday. Pretty interesting dive site, only the third time I've been there, but I have to say a dream for a photographer.

Left side

Right side

Buoyancy is key in this area

The area has a nice entry point with easy access, and isn't to deep either (10m/30ft). However, be
forewarned, the bottom is VERY silty. You so much as look at the bottom and you can destroy visibility. There is no current to speak of, so if you do muck it up, you either have to move on or give up on making a shot. Don't be 'that diver' if you go there, especially if there are local photographers there, you'll be sure not make any friends.

Robert and I saw Thor amboinensis and Holothuria turriscelsa as well as some beautiful sponge formations (my specialty) and a couple of nudibranchs, with Blue Dragon (Pteraeolidia ianthina) being a regular show for the day.

Watch out for fishermen,

The structures to the right (pylons) are the primary place to go for shooting but you have to watch out for fishermen. Most of the shots were in the shallower area (3m/15ft). This is also an area that can't handle to many divers at one time, so if it looks busy, you're probably best going somewhere else, especially since visibility is a primary concern here.

Keep in mind when you dive sites like this, if it's a primarily local dive spot, be courteous. Park properly, don't be loud, pick up your trash. Robert and I picked up trash while we were there, even though it wasn't ours, it doesn't matter if it's yours or theirs, pick some up. Help Ty's environment!!

As always, leave only bubbles, take out the trash, and I'll see you below.